Impact of Advising on Total Worker Health Implementation

Liliana Tenney; Lynn Dexter; David C Shapiro; Miranda Dally; Carol E Brown; Natalie V Schwatka; Amy G Huebschmann; Jim McMillen; Lee S Newman

doi:10.1097/JOM.0000000000002212

Impact of Advising on Total Worker Health Implementation

J Occup Environ Med. 2021 Aug 1;63(8):657-664. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000002212.

Authors

Liliana Tenney¹, Lynn Dexter, David C Shapiro, Miranda Dally, Carol E Brown, Natalie V Schwatka, Amy G Huebschmann, Jim McMillen, Lee S Newman

Affiliation

¹ Center for Health, Work and Environment, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Tenney, Dr Dexter, Mr Shapiro, Dr Dally, Dr Brown, Dr Schwatka, and Dr Newman); Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Colorado School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Tenney, Dr Dally, Dr Schwatka, and Dr Newman); University of Colorado School of Medicine, Adult and Child Consortium for Outcomes Research and Delivery Science (ACCORDS) Dissemination and Implementation Program, Division of General Internal Medicine and Center for Women's Health Research, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Huebschmann); Workers Comp Advising LLC (McMillen), Department of Epidemiology, Colorado School of Public Health, and Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Newman); Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Newman); Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado (Dr Newman).

Abstract

Objective: Little is understood about the mechanisms for improving the adoption and implementation of Total Worker Health® (TWH) in workplace settings. The primary objective of this study was to identify whether the delivery of TWH advising is associated with subsequent changes in TWH in small-to-medium sized businesses.

Methods: We conducted a longitudinal study of a TWH intervention in 200 organizations completing Health Links Healthy Workplace Assessments™ between October 2016 and December 2019. Organizations were offered consultation via telephonic and live web-based advising sessions.

Results: Organizations exhibited non-significant albeit positive change in assessment scores from baseline to assessment 2. Businesses receiving advising showed significant score improvements from assessment 2 to 3, versus those without advising.

Conclusions: TWH consultation may enhance adoption of organizational behaviors that promote worker health, safety, and well-being over time.

MeSH terms

Health Promotion
Health Status
Humans
Longitudinal Studies
Occupational Health*
Small Business
Workplace

Abstract

MeSH terms

Grants and funding